Morrow, a junior transfer from Nebraska, started at center. Senior Matt Heldt held that spot for 32 games last season. The 6-foot-8 Bailey, a 21-year-old freshman who spent two years on a Mormon mission, was the starting small forward with Anim sliding into the shooting guard spot.

Morrow finished with 16 points and six rebounds.

"I thought it was exciting," Morrow said. "Getting back out there after sitting out a year, I almost felt like a freshman again, coming out on the court.

"But it took a while for me to get going. My teammates, they pushed me and I tried to push myself through everything, making sure I was where I was supposed to be on the floor and show I'm capable of making plays."

Wojciechowski didn't want people to read too much into the opening lineup.

"I really think, with our group, we have eight - maybe nine - guys that could start for us," the MU coach said. "Starting is a nice badge of honor and every kid wants that. But we need to be a team that more than five guys consider themselves starters."

Sophomore big man Theo John sat out the game with a thumb injury. The team said it was precautionary. Redshirt freshman Ike Eke also was not in uniform.

FRESHMEN HONORS: Bailey finished with eight points, with five coming on back-to-back possessions in the second half, including a three-pointer in the corner.

"I thought Brendan had a little nerves there to start the first half," Wojciechowski said. "He hasn't played in a competitive basketball game for over two years and now he's starting at Fiserv Forum.

"So I thought he was a little nervous. Second half, he was much better than he was in the first half. I think he just kind of settled down."

Joey Hauser, a redshirt freshman who enrolled early last season, had an impressive MU debut with 11 points, three assists and three rebounds. He showed an inside-out game that was beyond his years and shot 5 of 6.

Wojciechowski summed up Hauser simply: "Joey's really good."

As a reporter started to ask another question, Wojciechowski interrupted to say, "I wasn't done. He's really, really good."

ANIM-ATED: Redshirt junior Anim was the standout player for MU. He had 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting, with six rebounds and three assists.

He relentlessly attacked the basket, drawing six fouls.

"Probably of all of our guys, I thought Sacar really played like a veteran," Wojciechowski said. "Sacar is a guy who has gotten better and better throughout his time here.

"He's very dependable and that's a very good quality for a basketball player to have."

THANKS FOR THE ASSISTS: Joseph Chartouny, a graduate transfer from Fordham, showed outstanding floor vision while finishing with nine assists.

He only took one shot and passed up several open looks.

"Love having Chartouny on our team as well," Morrow said. "Having a veteran, a fifth-year grad senior, it's exciting for him to be on the floor."

Wojciechowski also liked what he saw.

"I thought he was a real sparkplug for us with his ability to facilitate," Wojciechowski said. "He really thinks pass first. To have nine assists in 24 minutes, that's really good.

"When he's passing, that becomes contagious. I thought we were better with him in the game because of his ability to facilitate."

GETTING NERVES OUT: MU had an uneven start, which maybe was to be expected at a new arena. The Golden Eagles started 2 of 10 and missed their first 8 three-point attempts.

"I thought we had a lot of emotional energy throughout the day, anticipating this moment," Wojciechowski said. "And I think it manifested itself on the court offensively with us being impatient in the first half.

"Normally we are a very good ball movement team. And I thought we didn't move the ball as well. And so we had more turnovers than we normally have (19) and we didn't necessarily have the quality of shots that we normally (have). Then we had some really good shots that we just missed."

The announced crowd was 13,110 fans in a building that seats over 17,000 for basketball games.

"It's exciting," Morrow said. "I can't imagine what it'll be like when it actually fills up. Today, with us playing Carroll, all due respect to them, it didn't fill up to what I expected it to be.

"But it was still great being here in Fiserv for the first time and being with my team and being able to bring home a win."